@RD….and for the record, he deserved it. Any true fan of the game, regardless of team allegiance, has to admit that Patch’s comeback this season was remarkable. Put aside all the squabbling over clean hit vs dirty hit, intentional vs hockey play and acknowledge that the kid got hurt. Badly. So to have a season like he did deserves some recognition. It was nice to read that he and Chara have “spoken” and that it is “water under the bridge” as far as he is concerned. Now if the fans could just get over it…

I look at it like this, the hart is the most valuable to their team, but there seems like there is a distinct lack of value put on defense, which I feel in some, if not all cases, is just as important as offensive to a successful team. Case in point, I truly feel J. Quick was by far more important/valuable to his team’s regular season success this year, than Geno. Other people scored for the Pens, but no one else, generally speaking, stopped pucks for the Kings. This becomes far more valuable to the Kings when you consider that they had one of the worst offenses in the league this regular season and a lot, if not more of their wins came in one goal, or one-goal differential games.

With the Selke, yes it’s the best defensive forward, but when’s the last time that someone who didn’t put up decent offensive numbers, as well as being great in their own end, neutral zone, and at the dot win? To me is just seems like Selke winners are one, more complete players and two, more valuable to their team.
It’s all subjective, and just one hockey fan’s opinion, but that’s how I feel. I’m not trying to discount the offensive aspect of the game, or diminish the two-way play of Hart winners or nominees. It just seems, in some cases, that Selke winners are more solid all around players and hence, more valuable to their teams.

Couldn’t be happier for Bergy! The Selke’s the real Hart, IMO, and its distinguishing characteristics are the heart of any successful team. Which, #37 exemplifies through and through every night. Congratulations Sir!